Ladder assembling machine



1935- N. 1.. THRASHER LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 9, 1934 I Invento'r fl ed L nrd/sk'er Attorney Oct. 15, 1935. N. THRASHER 2,017,775

LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1934 4 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 I nventov mam Attorney Oct. 15, 1935. N. L: THRASHER 2,017,775

LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE Filed Oct. 9, 1954 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I n'uento'r Attbmey Med. J. Wr k r 1 WN A\| M E EE M MNWQQ NQQN Oct. 15, 1935. N. THRASHER LADDER ASSEMBLING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 9, 1934 NW MN m\ my, Q m &\

Attomey Patented Oct. 15, 1935 UNETE Application October 9,

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in ladder assembling machines and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a machine of this character embodying a novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which all of the rungs of the ladder may be expeditionsly and simultaneously mounted in the side rails of said ladder.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an assembling machine of the aforementioned character which is adapted for use in assembling different types or shapes of ladders.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a ladder assembling machine which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in use, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary View in top plan of a ladder assembling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in end elevation of the invention.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view.

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 66 of Figure 1.

Figure 7 is a detail view in elevation, looking at the outer side of the lower portion of one of the ladder engaging heads.

Figure 8 is a vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 8--8 of Figure 1.

Figure 9 is a detail view in section through one of the pressure screws, taken substantially on the line 9-9 of Figure 6.

Figure 10 is a view in vertical section through one of the cross members, taken substantially on the line l0l0 of Figure 1.

Figure 11 is a detail view in side elevation of one of the adjusting sleeves.

Figure 12 is a detail view in section through one of the adjusting sleeves, taken substantially on the line l2-l2 of Figure 11.

Figure 13 is a detail View in side elevation of one of the ladder rail engaging brackets.

1934, Serial No. 747,615

Figure 14 is a detail view in front elevation of one of the ladder rail engaging brackets.

Figure 15 is a detail view in top plan of one of the ladder rail engaging brackets.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it 6 will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a supporting structure or'bench which is designated generally by the reference numeral l. Mounted on the bench l are cross members or beams 2 hav- 10 ing secured thereon strips 3 (see Figures 4 and 10), which refine T-slots 4.

Mounted longitudinally on the bench l are I-beams 5 and 6 which constitute bases for castings l and 8, respectively. Stationary screw 15 shafts 9 are mounted for adjustment in the castings 'i, said screw shafts 9 being secured in adjusted position by nuts I!) which are threaded thereon and which are engageable with opposite sides of said castings 7. 20

Extending slidably and adjustably through the castings 8 are screw shafts H which are threadedly mounted in sleeves 82 having fluted heads or flanges l3 on their outer ends. Mounted on the outer end portions of the sleeves I2, 25 in abutting engagement with the outer ends of the castings 8, are worm gears Hi to which said sleeves are detachably secured through the medium of bolts l5 which pass through the flanges or heads I3. Keys are mounted in chambers 30 I! in the castings 8 and engaged in keyways 18 in the pressure screws H for retaining said pressure screws against rotation. The inner end portions of the sleeves l2 have threaded thereon lock nuts l9, as best seen in Figure 8 of the 35 drawings.

The sleeves I2 are further provided, on their inner ends, with thrust bearings 20.

Mounted in suitable bearings 2| is a shaft 22 having fixed thereon worm gears 23 which mesh 40 with the gears M. The shaft 22 is driven from an electric motor 24 through a belt and pulley connection 25.

Mounted on the inner ends of the pressure screws 9 and H are heads 26 which, as best 45 seen in Figure 6 of the drawings are provided with sockets 21 which receive the unthreaded inner end portions of said pressure screws 9 and H. Pins 28 secure the heads 26 to the pressure screws. The heads 26 include spaced guide 50 plates 29 which travel in the T-slots 4. The heads 26 further include upper and lower flanges 30 and 3|, respectively, between which angular ladder rail engaging and supporting brackets 32 are mounted for making adjustment in a hori- 55 zontal plane. Secured in the upper portions of the brackets 32, as by set screws 33, are threaded pins 34 which extend slidably through the upper flanges I I and have threadedly mounted thereon adjusting and lock nuts 34. The nuts 34' are provided with actuating handles or levers 35. Secured in the lower flanges 3| of the heads 26, as by set screws 36, are vertical guides 31 with which the brackets 32 are slidably engaged. The guides 31 extend below the flanges 3| into the guide plates 29 of the heads 26. Openings 38 are provided in the brackets 32 to accommodate the ends of 'the ladder rungs. In Figure 1 of the drawings, a portion of a ladder is shown mounted in the machine, the rungs of said ladder being designated by the reference numeral 39 and the side rails by the reference numeral 40.

Briefly, the manner of using the machine is as follows:

The heads 26 are adjusted to the desired position on the bench and the side rails, with the ends of the rungs introduced into the openings provided therefor in said side rails, are mounted on the brackets 32. It will be understood that after the screws 9 are adjusted to the desired position, the heads 26 on said screw shafts 9 are stationary. The motor 2 3 is then energized to drive the shaft, 22, thus driving the pressure screws II inwardly through the gears 23 and M and the sleeves I2. As is thought to be apparent, this operation drives the rail 4c of the ladder which is adjacent the pressure screws Ii toward the other ladder rail which is held stationary by the screw shafts 9, thus forcing the end portions of the ladder rungs into the openings provided therefor in said ladder rails.

The rockable mounting of the brackets 32 on the heads 26 permit said brackets to meet various conditions and facilitate the proper engagement of said brackets with different types or shapes of ladders. The adjustability of the screw shafts 9 and II also facilitates the use of the machine with different sizes, types or shapes of ladders. The screw shafts I I are manually adjusted in the casings 8 by removing the bolts I5, thus permitting the sleeves I2 to be rotated for moving said screw shafts I I inwardly or outwardly, as desired. The fluted heads or flanges I3 facilitate manual rotation of the sleeves I2.

It is believed that the many advantages of a ladder assembling machine constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although a preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to which will fall within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:- 6

1. A ladder assembling machine comprising a. supporting structure, brackets on the supporting structure engageable with one side of a ladder, castings mounted on the supporting structure, sleeves journalled in the castings, shafts splined 10 in the castings and threadedly engaged in the sleeves, brackets on said shafts engageable with the other side of the ladder, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the supporting structure, means for actuating said drive shaft, and means operatively connecting the sleeves to the drive shaft for moving the second named brackets toward the first named brackets for clamping the ladder therebetween.

2. A ladder assembling machine comprising a supporting structure, brackets on the supporting structure engageable with one side of a ladder, castings mounted on the supporting structure, sleeves journalled in the castings, shafts splined in the castings and threadedly engaged in the sleeves, brackets on said shafts engageable with the other side of the ladder, a drive shaft rotatably mounted on the supporting structure, means for actuating said drive shaft, means operatively connecting the sleeves to the drive shaft for moving the second named brackets toward the first named brackets for clamping the ladder therebetween, the last named means including gears mounted on the sleeves, flanges on said sleeves detachably secured to the gears, and gears fixed on the drive shaft and operatively engaged with the first named gears, said flanges, when detached from the first named gears, constituting means for manually rotating the sleeves for adjusting the second named brackets.

3. A ladder assembling machine comprising a supporting structure, screw shafts mounted on said supporting structure, means on the screw shafts for clamping a ladder therebetween, said means including heads mounted on the screw NED L. THRASHER. 

